Folding collapsible boat



May 28, 1929.

G. STEELE FOLDING COLLAPSIBLE BOAT Filed Sept. 3, 1926 INVENTOR w .w m mm ww W M Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE GAYLORD STEELE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING- COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

This invention relates to water craft, and more particularly to acollapsible boat or raft of the catamaran type.

One object of this invention is to provide a collapsible boat of theabove nature which is adapted to be used for locomotion, sailing,fishing, as a float in conjunction with bathing or water sports, as alife saving apparatus, or for any other purpose where a substantialcollapsible boat is desired. h

A further object is to provide a collapsible boat of the above naturewhich will be light in. weight and compact when in collapsed condition,so that it may be easily transported by hand, automobile, or in anyother convenient manner. i

A further object is to provide a boat of the above nature which will besimplein construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate,and very efficient and durable in use. 1

1 With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated onthe accompanying drawingseveralforms in which the invention maybeconveniently embodied in practice.

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the boat as it appears inassembled operating condition.

Fig; 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an end cap of one of thefloat casings.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one of the cross bracemembershaving a hand oper ated rudder hinged thereto. 1 i

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary perspective view of one of the" cross bracemembershaving a sailmast secured thereto.

v Fig. 6 is'a diagrammatic perspective View showing a boat which isprovided with a pair of hand-operated paddle wheels. i

' Figf7'is an end view of the float casing as it appears when incollapsed position.

Briefly, this invention consists of an opento the-water boat of thecatamaran type supported upo n collapsible elongated floats. The floatsare detachablybonnected at intervals by suitable cross brace members toform a raft-like construction, which may be quickly 0 and ea silyassembled and taken down. The

buoyancy fol-the craftis provided by rubber bladders or tubes inflatedwith air, said tubes being contained within flexible bags of can- 'vas'or other similanm'aterial, which are adapted to constrain the tubes andlimit the Application filed September 3, 1926; Serial No. 133,325.

expansion thereof. Each canvas bag is in turn surrounded by acollapsible outer casing member composed of a series of slats andadapted to be rolled into position around the canvas bag, said casingmember being locked in place'by clamps or other suitable fasten ers..The outer casing member is designed to provide rigidity for the floatcasing and also protects the innertube and canvas bag from injury due tothe action of the water, air, or sun, and the abrasion of rocks, sand,etc. The ends of the float casing are closed by conical shaped caps,which are adapted to be held in place by suitable bayonet pins andsockets and the pressure of the inflated bag.'

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the col lapsible boatcomprises a pair of float members, generally indicated by the numerals10 and 11, saidfloat members being provided with outer casings made upof a plurality of slats or segments 12 and 13, preferably con structedof wood, said slats having their longitudinal adjacent edges beveled at14. The

slats 12 and 13 of each outer casing are preferably connected togetherby a plurality of flexible strips 15, said strips being secured to theslats in any suitable manner as by rivets 15.

The ends of the'flexible strips15 are joined as by turnbuckles or otherrotatable fastening members 16; It will be understood,howe'\*c1,',-'instead of the flexible strips, the slats may be oinedtogether byhinges or any other suitable means. I

In the operation of disassembling, a float, it will only be necessary toturn the fastening members 16, unroll the slats 12 and 18 until flat,remove the casing and tube, and then reroll the slats into a compactbundle as clearly shown in Fig. 7

In order to provide the necessary buoyancy for the craft, each of thefloats is provided with a'flexible inner tube 17 preferably of rubber,said tube having closed sealed ends, and being provided in one side witha valve 18, through which the tube may be inflated by a suitable airpump, not shown, and from which the airfmay be expelled whenever it isdesired. The stems of said valves 18 are adapted to extend throughapertures 18" in the innermost slats of the float casings, whereby thedanger of accidental injury to said-stemsis reduced; 1

In order to limit the expansion of the inner tube 17 provision is madeof a surrounding flexible bag 19, preferably of canvas, said bag 19being adapted to be pressed tightly against the slats of the collapsiblecasing. V

The canvas bag 19 may be provided intermediate its ends with alongitudinal slit, not shown, said slit having a strengthening tonguestitched underneath it 011 the inside of the bag, and said tongue havinga small hole for the protrusion ot' the valve stem 18. By means of thisconstruction, the rubber tube 17 may be inserted in the canvas bag 19much in the same manner as a bladder is insorted in the outer casing ofa football. If desired, the edges of the slit may be provided witheyelets, not shown, for receiving suitable lacing strings in order tomore securely hold the tube 17 in position.

In order to close the ends of the casings and still further strengthenthe construction, each of the floats 10 and 11 has a pair of hollowfloat caps 20, said float caps having rounded conical outer ends 21 andcylindrical inner ends 22, the latter being adapted to fit over the endsof the slats 12 and 13. The cylindrical ends 22 of each of the floatcaps are provided with opposed diagonal bayonet slots 23 which areadapted to fit over corre-. sponding pins 2 1 mounted on opposite slats13. The float cap may be provided with an interior partition 25 torestrain and support the ends of the tube and bag, but it will beunderstood that said partition may be omitted if desired. I

In order to-detachably connect the float members 10 and 11 and support asuitable superstructure, provision. is made of a plurality of crossbrace members 26three in number in this instance. As clearly shown inFig. 2, each of the cross brace members 26 comprise central body members27 extending upwardly for supporting a deck 28, and said deck ispreferably composed of a plurality of parallel slats 29 connectedtogether by suitable fiexible cross-strips 30. i

The ends of the cross brace members 26 are provided in their bottomedges with angular notches or recesses 3O which are adapted to fitsnugly over the tops of the'two float members 10 and 11.

In order to securely attach the cross brace members 26 to the floatcasing 10 and 11, provision is made of suitable bolts 30*, said boltshaving heads 31 located under the top slats 13 of the float casings, thethreaded ends 31 of saidbolts being adapted to extend vertically upwardthrough openings 31 in the ends of the cross brace members 26. saidthreaded ends 31 having Washers 32 and wing nuts 33 fitted thereon. v

It will be understood that while the float casing in its assembledposition has been shown as octagonal in shape, it is'within the spiritand scope of the inventionto make the float casings circular,pentagonal, rectangular, or ol'any other suitable form.

In the operation of assembling the boat, after the end caps 20 have beenlocked in position upon the float casings, a small amount of additionalair will preferably be introduced into the rubber tubes 1? so as tocause the said tubes to expand still further, thereby producing a morerigid construction. It will be understood, of course, that the slats 12and 13 will have previously been locked in posi tion; The cross bracemembers 26 and the deck 28 may then be secured in position upon thefloats.

In order to permit the collapsible ra'tt to be propelled through thewater by a person sitting or standing on the deck 28, the central crossbrace member 26 is provided on its opposite ends with a pair of oarlocks 3d and 35. Lateral stability may be imparted to the craft, bylocating a single keel member 36 on the underside of the cross members26, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or a pair of keel members 37 and38 may be secured upon the bottoms of the float casings 12 and 13.respectively. It will be understood. if desired. that all three of saidkeel members 36, 37, and 38 may be used at the same time.

In Fig. 4 a special form of cross brace member 40 is illustrated. saidbrace member having a rudder blade 39 pivotally attached thereto as byhinges 41, said rudder member having an upwardly extending shatt 12 anda forwardly extending handle or tiller 4.3 to be grasped by the personsteering the boat.

In Fig. '5 a still further modified form of cross brace member 1.-1 isillustrated. said member 44 having a socket member 45 secured theretofor holding a sail mast 46.

In the form of boat shown in Fig. 6. a still further form of propellingmeans is illustrated, comprising a pair of paddle wheels 4 "mounted uponopposite ends of a shaft 48. In this form of the invention. the paddlewheels 47 are carried in suitable bearings 49 mounted on the tops oifloats 50 and 51. and the central portion of the shaft is oflset andprovided with a handle 52 so'that the paddle wheels 4'? may be readilymanipulated by a person sitting upon the deck 28. It will be understoodthat the paddle wheels may also be driven by foot power it desired. inwhich case any suitable pedal or treadle construction, not shown. willbe installed.

It will also be understood that it is quite bossible'and feasible toinstall a suitable outboard or other type of motor upon the craft forpropelling it.

One advantage of the present invention is that the rubber tubes 17 neednot be inflated to a high pressure. but will operate efliciently at apressure below ten pounds above that of the atmosphere.

A further advantage is that when the boat is not in use, the canvas bags19 may be employed for Wrapping about and storing the slats of the floatcasing and the deck, and possibly may carry other parts of the collapsedcrat't.

\Vhile there have been disclosed in this specification several forms inwhich the in vention may be embodied, it is to be understood that theseforms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may bemodified and embodied in various other forms without departing from itsspirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications andembodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, What is claimed as new andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a collapsible boat, a pair of float members, a framework supportedupon said float members, each of said float members having a collapsiblecasing comprising a plurality of longitudinal slats arranged edge toedge, the adjacent edges of said slats being beveled, a plurality offlexible straps for connecting said slats, said casing forming asubstantially circular hollow prism in assembled position, and beingadapted to be rolled up into a small space when not in use, the ends ofsaid casings having remov able closure members.

2. In a collapsible boat of the catamaran type, a pair of float members,a deck mount ed upon and connected to said float members, each of saidfloat members comprising an inner tube adapted to be inflated, aflexible canvas bag surrounding said tube, and a collapsible casing ofWooden slats for strengthening and protecting said tube and canvas bag,the ends of said casings having re p movablefloatcaps fitted. and lockedthereon.

3. In a collapsible boat of the catamaran type, a plurality oflongitudinal float members, a plurality of transverse cross bracemembers mounted upon and secured to said float members, and acollapsible strap-hinged slatted deck supported upon said cross bracemembers. a

i. In a collapsible boat of the catamaran type, a pair of float members,a deck mounted upon and connected to said float members, each of saidfloat members comprising an inner tube adapted to be inflated, aflexible bag surrounding said tube, and a collapsible casing. of slatsfor strengthening and protecting said tube and bag, the ends of said eas ings having removable float caps fitted and 7 locked thereon.

5. In a collapsible boat, a plurality of float members, a frame forconnecting said float members, each of said float members comprising aninflatable inner tube, a collapsible casing surrounding and protectingsaid inner tube, and a pair of closure members for fltting over the endsof said casings, said closure members being held in position by theexpansive force of the inner tube pressing outwardly through said casingupon said closure members.

6. In a collapsible boat of the catamaran type, a pair of float members,a deck mounted upon and connected to said float members, each of saidfloat members comprising an inner tube adapted to be inflated, aflexible anvas bag surrounding said tube, and a collapsible casing ofwooden slats for strengthening and protecting said tube and canvas bag,the ends of said casings having removable float caps fitted and lockedthereon, said closure members being held in position by the expansiveforce of the inner tube pressing outwardly through said casing upon.

said closure members.

7. In a collapsible boat, a plurality of float. members, a frame forconnecting said float members, each of said float members comprising aninflatable inner tube, a collapsible casing surrounding and protectingsaid inner tube, and a pair of closure members hav ing a detachablebayonet pin and slot connection with said casings, said closure membersbeing held in position by the expansive force of the inner tube pressingoutwardly through said casing upon said closure members.

8. In a collapsible boat of the catamaran type, a pair of float members,a deck mounted upon and connected to said float members, cachet saidfloat members comprising an innor. tube adapted to be inflated, aflexible bag surrounding said tube, and a collapsible casing of slatsfor strengthening and protecting said tube and bag, the ends of saidcasings having removable float caps fitted and locked thereon, saidflexible bag serving as a container for the slats and inner tube when incollapsed condition.

9. In a float member for a collapsible boat.

of the catamaran type, an inner tube to be inflated, a flexible canvasbag for surrounding said tube, a collapsible casing for surrounding saidbag for strengthening and protecting said bag and tube, and means forlimiting the expansion of said collapsible casing.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

MAURICE GAYLORD STEELE.

